Mastodon
Last Bastion China (originally) |role = Anti-vehicle |useguns = Plasma railgun |tier = 3 |techlvl = 9 |hp = 1500 |armortype = Heavy |speed = 3 |turn = * 2 (unit) * 3 (turret) |sight = 6 |cost = $2400 |time = 1:26 |produced = Foehn War Factory |req = Nanofiber Loom Expansion |groundattack = |cooldown = 110 frames (7.3 in-game seconds) |range = 11.5, minimum 3, radius 2 |ability = * Releases nanoids to repair itself at the rate of 8 hit points every 2.25 frames for 70 frames (249 hit points over 4.7 in-game seconds) when the Mastodon's hit points are lower than 50% ** Nanoid self-repairs are three times more effective if the Mastodon is stationary * Affected by Nanocharge |veteranbonus = +40% hit points |elitebonus = * +40% firepower * +25% speed |notes = * Self-repair * Can crush infantry and vehicles * Uncrushable * Cannot be depiloted * Must be locked on to the target and charge up before firing (see Weapon stages) * Takes 12 slots in transports |artist = * Bu7loos (voxel) * Lobstrex (model) * Nooze (cameo) |actor = George "Seòras" Exley }} The Mastodon is a super-heavy tank used by the Last Bastion. Official description It is said that the Mastodon was the very first tank designed for the Foehn Revolt shortly after it was formed. However, various photos exist taken by recon drones and spy sat cameras that confirm the presence of a very similar design in the Chinese bases during the Russian invasion on their soil. The Mastodon is quite likely the largest and the heaviest battle tank currently present on the world's battlefield, which is not only noticeable by looking at its hull but the turret as well. The turret itself takes 1/3 of the tank's size and weight and for a good reason: it is literally packed with technology. Its main weapon is a long-range plasma railgun which, after finding an enemy, needs to charge up for several seconds before unleashing its power. The railgun's primary purpose is to eliminate enemy tanks at great ranges, while the Mastodon draws most of their firepower, allowing the other Last Bastion's units to realize their purpose effectively. Hidden in Mastodon's turret are also containers with nanomachines, which will be released to repair the tank if it's taken too much damage. With the use of Nanocharge, the Mastodon will also be able to use those nanomachines to repair nearby vehicles and Foehn infantry in times of danger.Foehn Units page on the official Mental Omega website Overview The Mastodon is the final answer to Last Bastion's strategy of withstanding against everything their enemies can send at them. It is the heaviest ground-based non-epic unit in the game, being able to withstand tremendous amounts of punishment while dishing out even more in retaliation with its gigantic plasma railgun that deals devastating damage against vehicles. Its massive pool of hit points, heavy armor, and the ability to perform rapid self-repairs like the Bison Tank while stationary makes this super heavy tank extremely formidable as a defensive unit against all but the most overwhelming vehicular offenses. With assistance from the Nanocharge support power, it can repair itself at an even faster rate while replenishing the vitality of fellow Foehn units that are in close proximity of this behemoth. Despite it being a massive tank that knows no equal in size and armor, it is by far no means invincible and has many glaring weaknesses that can be exploited by a crafty enemy commander. For starters, the tank is very slow and should it ever come into a confrontation, withdrawing will likely not be a viable option. The plasma railgun, while dealing unfathomable damage against armored targets, takes some time to charge up before firing - during this process, the enemy can identify what the Mastodon is trying to fire at, meaning they can quickly either order their units to fall back outside of the mammoth tank's range or even charge straight at it, as the Mastodon has a minimum range of 3, although its large size, bigger than the Centurion Siege Crawler, allows it to crush vehicles when necessary. Last Bastion commanders facing against Epsilon proselytes should be especially wary of the fact that Mastodons are very inviting targets for psychic mind control and hijacking. While the Mastodon can (usually) safely destroy Masterminds if deployed correctly, their primary weapons are not effective against infantry and structures - this means an Epsilon Adept or Elite can easily approach one and seize control of it. Supplement them with Gharials for protection against anti-tank and mind-control infantry, as the Mastodon can and will fall against them if met with overwhelming numbers. While their armor will hold out against most air strikes, they cannot do anything to respond to aerial threats. Use units such as Buzzards and Giantsbanes to protect them if resistance from the skies is to be expected. All in all, the Mastodon is an unstoppable wall of armor that requires some careful thinking to use effectively. It is best suited for defensive work against assaults that are composed of heavy armor, as it is not exactly the most mobile unit in the game and its weapon does mediocre damage against anything that isn't a vehicle. Weapon stages The Mastodon uses a weapon cycle even though it only has a single offensive weapon. It always starts at the lock-on stage once it switches targets. * Stage 1: Lasts until 90 frames (6 in-game seconds). In other words, this is the lock-on stage where an aiming reticule will be present on the Mastodon's target as the plasma railgun is charged. * Stage 2: Lasts until 100 frames (6.7 in-game seconds). By the time Stage 1 ends, the Mastodon will fire its plasma railgun once then proceed to lock-on at Stage 3. * Stage 3: Once it has reached 120 frames (8 in-game seconds), the cycle will repeat back to Stage 1. Appearances Act Two * Two Mastodon prototypes bearing the Chinese unit color scheme and armed with a conventional cannon instead of plasma railgun briefly appear in Thread of Dread on the Foehn base at the start of the mission. * The same Mastodon prototypes briefly appear in Machinehead at the start of the mission, escorting Yunru and the Centurion Siege Crawler. Assessment Trivia * Mastodons are an extinct species of elephants who lived in North and Central America until the Ice Age, which closely resembles modern elephants though not closely related to them. * The Mastodon resembles the Mammoth Tank from the first Red Alert and the Railgun tank from the cancelled Command & Conquer (2013). * In the game files, the Mastodon is referred to as "Prometheus". * Prior to the release of version 3.3, a voiceline of the Mastodon is teased as early as 2014, as a "secret message".https://forums.revora.net/topic/96771-mental-omega-news-bulletin-4-24112014/ See also Other Foehn monster tanks: * Megalodon * Pteranodon External links * An official video that presents a sneak peek of the Mastodon. * Official showcase of the Mastodon prior to official release of version 3.3, along with other units References zh:乳齿象坦克 Category:Vehicles Category:Tanks Category:Foehn Revolt Category:Last Bastion Category:Monster Tanks Category:Self Healing